Sony applies for touchscreen printer patent

This morning it came to light that Sony has applied for a patent through the US Patent & Trademark Office for what appears to be a new printing concept.

According to the US Patent & Trademark Office, the abstract for the pending patent reads "An ejection tray includes a container that contains a recording sheet printed by a printing unit of an image forming apparatus, and a cover mounted on the container. The cover has a display for displaying information, and the display displays an information screen corresponding to information that can be printed on the recording sheet."

Between the "wordy" abstract, the following notes and the pictures Sony submitted, one can hypothesize that Sony may have dreams of releasing a wireless touchscreen printer. There is also mention that this printer will have an inkjet print head which would also be a new avenue for Sony to pursue in the printing business.

Today, Sony mainly manufacturers mobile dye sub printers in the consumer market; we reviewed the Sony Digital Photo Printer DPP-FP75 in October of last year.  But it doesn't seem much of a stretch to me for a company with a wide variety of products, like Sony, to combine touchscreen ability with a small, flat wireless printer.

Via Engadet